Would you leave your cats alone in your
house if you went on vacation?
What would you do with your cats if you
decided not to leave them home alone?
Once I went on vacation and was so scared
to leave my cat by himself, that I took him along.
Looking back, I realize he probably
could have taken care of himself for a few
days, assuming I left plenty of food,
water and litter.
But, at the time, he was only a year old
and still a kitten and my only
cat, so I doted on him.
What would you have done in a similar situation?
[question posted by beautyqueen26]
responses and comments:
I don't own a pet but if I did have one and we had to leave the house, I wouldn't leave them all alone. I'd think of them the whole time. They are like people too, in that sense, they might get lonely and sad. My niece left her rabbit for a whole weekend. though it had sufficient food and water, it was dead by the time they got home. sad [jammyt]
Oh no! That's so very sad. cry [beautyqueen26]
in my opinion it is not good to leave the cat alone at home for you will always think of the cat if what is happening to him/her this time and what he/she eats. [patzel88]
I've left my cats alone for up to a few days, with plenty of litter boxes, food, and water. I worry about them, tho, but feel that they would be more upset by being put in a kennel or taken with me. If I were gone for longer, I'd have someone come in once a day to check on them, pet them and give fresh food/water, scoop litter, etc. I think that is the best for them, since most cats don't like leaving home very much! [thedogshrink]
I definitely would have done the same thing. I grew up in Italy where most people live in apartments and it is not uncommon to see people out and about with their cats (that's how it was quite a few years ago, anyway). Our family travelled to Switzerland and France each year for vacation and we always took our Siamese with us, we used to sneak him into hotel rooms! Nowadays if I am unable to take my two cats with me I book them into our local cattery where I know they will be comfortable until I return. To me they are like my children and I treat them accordingly. [paula27661]
I have left our four cats in the apartment BUT, I had a trusted neighbor who came over daily to check on them and give them effection. They are all four of them big babies and have to have attention. They were fine. I would never have left them totally alone though! [celticeagle]
Well, we would leave our pets if we do go on vacation...but we always recruit one of my sisters to come over everyday and take care of them and make sure everything is okay :) So they are never alone for long. But usually there is always someone here who isn't going on the trip anyways, so we haven't come across your exact situation. :) [LilyoftheThorns]
That's always a good idea! [beautyqueen26]
Hello beauty queen. If it were the same case that I would have, I think that I would leave it at home as there is already so much food and everything that is needed for the cat. It is not very convenient to travel with a cat along with you, I guess. But I wonder how you managed to take it with you. [williamjisir]
Just a basic cat carrier. He was tiny at the time. And, no trouble at all. He's usually very docile (and scared) while traveling, so I don't move often! [beautyqueen26]
We went away for about 3-4 days leaving the 5 cats home alone. The tub faucet would drip, so they could get in there for water, and I buy 20 lb bags of food that one of my cats eats straight from anyways, so it's always there and open for them. We did have my FIL check on them a day or 2 after we'd left anyways, just to be safe. The only thing the cats weren't happy about was that they were locked inside the house all that time. They prefer to be outdoors 90% of the time and only come in when it's too cold or when they're hungry. [katsmeow1213]
cats are naturally independant [katsmeow1213]
I rarely do vacations though last year I went to Branson to see my Dad...I was gone overnight but Hubby was home with Morgana. I don't think I'd ever leave her home alone and I'd either take her with me or not go. I don't like the whole kennels thing b/c to me I'd think they'd get homesick and you can never be sure they are receiving good care. ~~IN SEARCH OF PEACE WITHIN~~ **AGAINST THE STORMS, I WILL STAND STRONG** [twoey68]
I know what you mean, if I go out on the porch to talk she will sit inside by the door crying up a storm till I come back in. Hubby says when I leave she sits there crying and then lays in my chair watching for me. God forbid if I have to come in to drop something off and then leave again...she just cries and cries till I come back. ~~IN SEARCH OF PEACE WITHIN~~ **AGAINST THE STORMS, I WILL STAND STRONG** [twoey68]
my fiance has a cat. when he came to visit me, he left his cat alone in his house and he can't stop thinking about her. i understand that coz i would too if i am in his situation. his sister visit his cat but he still think of her.happy my fiance is such a loving manwub [hornetlover]
You're a lucky one! happy [beautyqueen26]
No, I won't leave my cats alone. When we had a travel in the past. We asked grandma came to live at our home and took care of our cats. It would be too irresponsible to leave them at home alone but you went on vacation. It'll be very selfish. As long as you have pets at home, you shall think out a way to take care of them before you leave for a vacation. I love China [youless]
you could just leave your cat with a neighbour, friend or relative, when i go away i leave it with my neighbour because he has 2 cats himself and the 3 of them get on really well [MichaelMcGearty]
I think if you really love your pet,you wouldnt leave them alone assuming that even you left plenty of foods for a few days for them to eat.but still i think it was still on your conviction or it depends on what kind of vacation you are into.maybe if someone may look after them,you may leave without the hesitation. [babydaycee]
If it is only for a couple of days I will leave my cats in the house with lots of food and water and ask a friend to check in on them once or twice. I have left the cats in the house for over a month while I was on vacation and had a pet sitter come to the house every day. I think keeping them at home for a long time period is better and easier on them than being kenneled. [kcgobble]
Hi Beautyqueen, my cats can come and go as they please so I will just leave a key with a neighbour and they come into feed the cats, the fish, the stick insects and the rabbits, now I also have the puppy though I won't be going away too much although I am away next weekend but will take puppy with in his crate as staying in a rural area with a friend who sayd the puppy not a problem and my neighbour will feed the rest. Huggles. Ellie :D [ellie333]
Cats are different than dogs, they take care of themselfs Just give them food and water and a litterbox they probably don't even know you gone. [missybear]
We always used to leave our cats behind when we went on holiday. My sister in law used to come and feed them for me every day, I did mither about it, I did not like to leave them. In a way although I miss my cats I am pretty glad that I do not have to worry about things like that when I go away now. [gemini_rose]
I would definitely leave the cat at home. The cat won't be bothered that much by my absence, unless it ran out of food or water. I have left cats at home and been gone for days at a time and the only thing that happened was they were happy to see me when I returned happy [fwidman]
wel i hate cats buddy n i wudn hav to bother leaving them at hom cos i dnt hav any of my own but my neighbor has plenty to top it :) hehehe so i gues they r better off with me over hre o shud i say i wud b much better off without them around :) [drnehasth]
we have a cat and the longest we have left her alone was a whole weekend, but i had my mom come in a couple of times over the weekend to make sure she was ok and to feed her and pet her and just spend time with her and she was ok when we got home. [cher913]
I hire a sitter if it's more than 1 night. That way I know that they will be taken good care of of and that their litter box will be scooped every day. I also make sure the vet knows who's watching my cats and I give them authorization to do whatever is needed in their best judgment on treatment if on of my pets needs to be brought in. That's really important because many vets wont treat without the owners permission. I hate the word owner, but that's a cats legal status. My dogs are another story. They get sent to a kennel. They are spoiled brats and need the freedom to come in and out as they want. And they must be inside at night. The kennel I use has climate controlled indoor outdoor runs and they are locked in at night for safety. [TheCatLady]
Yes. We do with Lacey. If we are gone for more than a few days we have my mil come out and check on her. But we have to have someone come out and take care of the outdoor cats. We can't just leave the food and water out because than we would have raccoons and coyotes and every other animal coming to get it and probably kill some of the cats too. [Ruthep]
We have left our cats alone while gone a few days or a week before, we definitely worried about them, but always made sure there was more than enough food and water out. It always worked out fine. They are so amazing and self-reliant. It's definitely not the best option to leave them alone but since we have had cats, we also had 2 or 3 dogs as well, and 2 of them had to go to the kennel and our little one(now our oldest) is so nervous so she had to go with us whenever we all went away. I definitely think our cats are would freak out if we took them to a kennel or even took them with us. The only exception was, when I was away at college and my mom had moved up there, my dad visited us for Christmas and he brought both cats, and he said our one cat was meowing most the way up there, like 6 hourslol So yea, that's what we always did--but it's definitely important to take into account how they act and also their health of course--if you had a sick cat that wouldn't be a good idea to leave them. But otherwise I think most cats are very independent. Ours still are, they range from almost 3 years to almost 10 years. lol [greysfreak]
It's good to see you back on Mylot. I miss talking to you. As for the cats, we have four right now. Two are just kittens, one year old and three months old. My daughter adopted them from the yard mama cat. The other two are almost ten years old. So there's a nice age range. Funny thing, the one year old adopted the kitten when he came into the house and cares for him as if she is his mom. I think she's actually his aunt, cause her mom is his mom's mother. Maybe I got that mixed up. Anyway! Thanks for your comments. [beautyqueen26]
I think it depends on how long you are gone as to whether you leave a cat at home. Cats are different then dogs typically. A dog will eat all his or her food at once if possible. Cats tend to eat only what they need and will make there food last longer if you were to leave enough out for her. If I were going to be longer than a couple days, I would have someone in my family either keep them or come and take care of them each day. [jenboops]
Peeewww! I'm thinking about the litter box being left while one is on vacation.. nope I would have to carry my kitty with me on vacation or else make sure someone came to my home to pet sit. I did that for a friend's dog.. I came over and walked the dog 4 times a day and just again before dark. Kept him fed and watered. I also pet sat with another friend's 3 dogs... they had a doggie door so all I had to do was feed them and play with them awhile. [OreoCookie3]
Oh yeah! I hate a stinky litter box. cry [beautyqueen26]
No I would feel awful I would most definitely take my cat with me, I have in the past, whenever I traveled I even took my cat to vegas a few times I just would be too worried to leave him all alone, at the very least I would consider putting him in one of those pet boarding places, but that would only be a last resort, I love my cat and I would want to be sure he was ok before taking a trip because even though cats are pretty self sufficient theres still a small chance that something could happen if there left alone, like maybe a robbery or a fire who knows you can never be too careful,blink besides that me and my cat are really bonded and I think he would be lonely if I left him all alone.sadhappy [apples99]
I'd miss my babies so much! [beautyqueen26]
We don't have cats, but we have dogs. Whenever we go for a vacation, we don't bring them along, it's just too stressful to have to worry about a pet or pets during a vacation (there are spots or places you'd wish to visit that don't allow them not to mention the endless questions and checks). So instead, we ask one of our relatives or friends or secretary (if no one is really available and I have no choice) to come over the house to feed them and take care of them. Plus, we usually ask one of our relatives or his/her family to stay at our home during the time we are out. It's not just to take care of our pets, but to make sure that everything is well when we do come home. Plus, we usually go out for vacation during summer when there's no school, so our relatives and their kids don't mind staying over since we do have a lot of fun stuff they could use or do during their stay, well, we could at least say that they're having vacation in our house per se. =) [laydee]
I probably wouldn't leave him alone either. I never liked leaving my dog at home by himself when he was working full time. Especially when I first got him. I would always think about him, and hurry up and get home to be with him. I can't leave him in the house too long though, because he might start chewing on things. [mrsgoodygoody00]
I do not like to leave my animals for more than a few hours. Once when we were sharing a house with a friend we left our dog with him for a month being cared for but the dog has never forgiven us. Every time we leave him alone now for even just a couple of hours he acts like he will never see us again. He says we abandoned him. If I was going away then I would look for a place to leave him where I know he would be looked after but really I would rather take him with me. When we moved house we took our dogs in the car. They slept in the car overnight while we stayed in motels and they got to see lots of new places but they got bored by the long driving. It was a long way and took a few days of very solid driving. [sharra1]
I have left them with a huge bag and plenty of water and this was outside so they would be fine, but will never do it again since someone took most of them and will never do that ever..this was in the year 1985..I cried so much... [Rosekitty]
I leave my cat alone when I go on vacation, however I have my sister and my parents check up on him and the house. They have cats as well and adore them so I know my cat will be in good hands when I travel. [jgall34]
when i'm in a similar situation, i would choose to bring my pets as much as possible. i can't afford to leave them all alone in the house. my vacation won't serve it's purpose because i'll be wondering and thinking about them the whole time so i'm gonna have to take my pets with me. [marshiemallows]
No I will not leave any type of animal or pet alone in home unattended. I would leave the cat with a neighbour or a friend or a kennel where they can take good care of them. Otherwise I won't leave the cat behind. It's cruelty since animals don't reason things out. Even if you leave plenty of food, it might get rotten after a few days. The cat might eat all food in one day! [ronaldinu]
We don't have cats but if we have cats in our house and where away in our home I think I'll never let my pets to get inside our house. I let them out in our house so that I will be okay that they don't do anything stupid. [angeltrhix]
hey Beauty, well, at the time being, i don't have pets... but if i happened to have a pet; i would not leave it by itself at home, no matter how old the pet might be...i would rather leave it with neighbors, friends or family members till i back home..i would prefer to leave it with those who do have pets of their own as well...so, it will not be a problem for them in terms of caring and stuff... Smiley, [smiley83]
I have four cats and I have a standing arrangement with my neighbour to look after them when I'm away on holiday. He comes in to feed them and change the litter trays. Otherwise, I would have to put them all into a cattery for the time that I would be away and as I can't drive, transporting them to and from there would be a major problem. I'd probably have to hire a taxi to do the job so my neighbour (and very good friend) saves me a lot of money and inconvenience by coming in to look after the furry family members when I'm away. [jwfarrimond]
Never! I don't trust my neighbors. They are animal haters and I am sure they will harm our loving cats! [daffodil1949]
i have three cats at home but i still go on holidays. thankfully i'm living with my family so someone will be at home always. i'll never go on holidays if i have to leave them alone at home. unless i can get someone trustworthy to come over to feed them and play with them. if there's no one that i trust to come over, i'd rather skip the holiday or bring them along. it's a good choice to have brought your cat along for your vacation. i don't think he'll survive being alone even if there's food and water. cheers ;p [applefreak]
Yes you CAN and I HAVE because they were more secure THERE than in someone else home. I left my dear neighbour in charge, of course, and she was there twice a day to talk to them, pet them, check and clean the litter box, and feed them. Soo.. Cats alone together in the house was nothing new.. I worked all day and so they were used to that..BUT,, to be in another place,out their house, was sooo stressful and THAT didn't work.. not for my neighbour who HAD them and not for the cats who were soo uncomfortable. I think as long as someone responsible is trusted to go in there at least as often as YOU would be there yourself.. it MAY just be the better option. [fjaril]
I used to bring my cat to cat's pension or sometimes I bring my cat with me ^_^ [Giox91]
There's nothing wrong with taking your cat along on vacation like you did... we do it all the time! Our cat is a great traveler and she loves it, even the long road trips. So the answer to what you asked is no, I wouldn't leave the cat at home while I went traveling. If we even go for groceries, she has a present by the door for us to come back... her little toy squeaky mouse. Many hotels are now pet friendly so that's never a problem. [katiedoubleu]
For anyone who travels with pets, Holiday Inns are all pet friendly, and can be found every where. The chain was actually started by some one who had a pet. and had always had trouble locating accomodations while traveling. [catdla1]
i wouldn't leave any animal in my house while i was on vacation. i'd board them or have a friend look after them anything but leaving them in the house. i don't have a cat but i have a dog & there's no way i'd leave her in the house. [ANTIQUELADY]
I once, years ago, boarded my cat at a kennel while I went on vacation. The kennel chosen was clean, well staffed and had separate cat facilities, away from dogs and other animals. It was a country setting with clean outdoor runs, I had no qualms. When I returned from vacation, my cat had lost considerable weight, and about half of her hair - all due to the stress from being in the kennel environment. The cats who were at the kennel for the duration of my cats time there seemed happy and content, so mistreatment wasn't an issue. My cat just didn't like it, missed the family and was afraid of being near other cats. After that, whenever I went on vacation, I paid a neighbor or family member to stop by daily for feeding, companionship and to change the litter. That worked much better. There have been a few times where I had to leave unexpectedly, such as an illness or death in the family, where it was not possible to find a 'sitter'. On those times, I put out a couple of automatic feeders and watering stations, put out extra litter boxes (I always figured one per day) and left the tv on for noise. Whether or not I was able to find sitters, my cat was happiest at home. I'm sure (or hope) she missed us, maybe she would have enjoyed the time alone more if she could have figured out how to open the refrigerator door. [catdla1]
I almost always had multiple cats, so when we went on vacation we got an automatic waterer and put out plenty of food (a cat won't overeat like a dog will) and of course an extra supply of water just in case something went wrong with the waterer. Then off we'd go, no worries because we knew they'd be happier at home. Of course we left an extra litter box too for their kitty comfort. We never stayed gone that long. When we did take them with us, like when we moved - what a production! Have you ever heard of kitty dramamine? I had one that had to be knocked out with that before he could travel, poor thing. Then there was the yaowling and the hopping around. Cats just aren't good travelers in my experience. [artambrosia]
It would not be safe for my cat or my house. When he is left alone for a short time it makes him a bit crazy. I left for a few hours last night after being gone for part of the day and by the time I got back he was nuts speeding threw the house to show he was angry that I was not home to serve him at every whim. [windwalker]
no need.there's always someone here with them. they'd probably eat everything in a day knowing them,then all have trauma when they noticed "mommy" is missing.they're very dependant cats,i couldn't see that as working. [scarlet_woman]
I am looking after a cat visiting the moment and I care about him. If I went on vacation I would ask my mum to look after him along with my two dogs. She cared for my dogs once a day during my last vacation I employed a dog sitter for one hour a day as well. It costs lots of money but at least my dogs were happy and well cared for. I think that if a person leaves there cats alone for more than 24 hours it wouldn't be a good idea. A loving cat owner would worry about their cat so much so you took your young cat with you. [maximax8]
We have done it up to one week. I leave the toilet bowl open, just in case they do run out of other water. Of course, I don't use chemicals in it. I put out many bowls of water and have one that stores much fresh water and slowly replaces it as they drink from the bowl. I put out much dry food and leave an unopened bag on the floor, too, as they can tear it open (cats will do that) if they ran out. I leave many litter boxes. I buy some carboard ones that you can throw away. I cover all the furniture with old blankets, close off all of the rooms except the ones I want them in and they have been fine. If longer than one week, I have someone check on them every couple of days. [nanajanet]
It depends on how long I've left for. I had a siamese cat I'd leave for 2 to4 days alone at home because he didnt travel well. He missed me when i was gone cause he'd go crazy purring when i got home. If i was gone longer than that I'd take him to a friends or have a family member check on his food and water and play with him while i was gone. [saundyl]
When we go away for the weekend or 3/4 days our cats are shut outdoors and our neighbour feeds them for us. We are very lucky with our neighbours and we always feed their guinea pig when they are away. If we are going away for a week or longer than my father in law usually comes and stays and looks after them for us. Our cats are fine with us going away as they still get fed the only difference is they can't go indoors. [mychattime]
I've 2 cats, a large dog, 2 fish tanks and a frog tank and I rarely go away. I prefer holidays at home anyway. If I do have to go away my son is home to care for them and my daughter looks after the dog. She's rarely on her own for more than a couple of hours! She gets on well with her cat but the cats are too territorial to share a house. lol When the family were younger I used to leave my cats at the local cattery that my Vet's wife ran, and I felt reassured knowing they were being well looked after. Although cats are very independent by nature they are used to human company and some cats get very stressed if their routine is altered suddenly. We know we are going away but the first the cat knows about it is when you don't come home at the usual time! [Annmac]
no i will never leave my pet alone when we have vacation. that's why there's a pet carrier so you can bring your pet with you. if i cant bring my pet for the vacation....i'll hire a pet sitter or just leave to my family or friends [Shar1979]
no freaking way! they are my babies would you lave your kids alone? nope If i go on holiday and can't look after them someone comes to stay at the house to be with them, usually my dad. I even have my nephew come over when we have a long day like a wedding or something where i'm going to be out all day just to be in in case it's raining and they want to come in and stuff. I often shout my cats in at night i don't make them come in if they don't want to but they prefer to be in and then during the day there is always a window open for them to come in and out as they please. i don't have a catflap mainly because the dog is likely to chew it and I don't want to get robbed! They can get in through anything these days, they even tried to kick my door in! [mands61123]
I only do that with older cats, and I have someone come in twice at day to spend time with them. It's not the best thing, but they hate to go to the kat care center. [savypat]
Well, I only have one cat so I'm not sure about cats. But my Fluffy would have had to go with me. I don't mind leaving her for a couple of hours or even a day, but if I went on vacation she would have to go with me or I would have my mother keep her. I just don't think that it's safe because I look at the things she gets in when I'm at home so I can imagine what things we would get in left for a week or more by herself. I just don't think that she could care for herself properly without making a mess, scratching up something or eating all her food up. Just not something I would do. Thanks. johnson3 [johnson3]
If we are going to be gone longer than 24 hours, we make arrangements for someone to take care of our cats. Our dogs go with us if it's going to be longer than 24 hours, and sometimes the cat(s) go with us, too. If we aren't taking the cats, we get someone to come over and check on them, or they temporarily move in with someone. [carlaabt]
Hi beautyqueen, I have left my cats alone in the house but I always have someone come in and feed them as well as spend some time with them every day. It has to be someone that they know and who I know I can trust. They can manage for themselves for a couple of days if as you say they have plenty of food water and litter, but more than that I would want someone to come in. Blessings. [Pose123]
I have a 13 year old cat who would likely perish if left at a kennel! Ha! I have left him overnight before, but if I were to be gone longer I would have someone come by daily to check on him and feed him. I'm sure he would be fine as he pretty much just eats and sleeps, but one never knows. My cat is truely like a child! [crazynurse]
We always leave our cat alone in the house when we go on vacation, but we have a neighbor who comes over daily to check on him. We have a reciprocal agreement with her, as she has 2 cats. However, I would not be afraid to leave our cat by himself for up to 3 days, with sufficient food and water, of course. I believe that his litter box would get too dirty if we left him more than 3 days. [bellis716]
If it were only for a day or two, then as long as I left enough food for my two kitties I might leave them home alone, but I would still would want to make arrangements with my friend down the block (who also has cats) to check in on them, and definitely would make arrangements if I were away longer periods. [pyewacket]
Cat's are pretty self sufficient, and would probably be OK for a couple of days left alone in the house. I wouldn't leave them for more than a weekend though, without haveing someone at least come in and make sure the water is fresh, and the food is fresh, and that the litter box isn't overly full. Sometimes pets get stressed when their owners are gone, and that stress can cause diahreah. So if I was going to be gone more than a ocuple of days, I would have someone come in and check on the cat once a day. [ladym33]
I have missed going on vacation a few times. I would not leave my pets alone I would arrange for a family member to come and stay or put them in a kennel, if I can't afford a kennel I simple stay at home.My pets are important to me they are part of my life, to me is like having a child if you can't look after it then don;t have one. [alottodo]
If I had a cat and I would be going on a vacation, I wouldn't think of leaving him in the house. I might invite someone to take care of my pets while I'm gone. I think that would be a better idea. There was a particular time when we all went out of town and the pets were left outside! Well, when we came back, we were glad to know that our neighbors took good care of them. Then again, if I can take the cat along with me, I'm sure it would be a whole new experience not for me, but for the cat. :) [JAREDSQUALL]
We do leave our critters at home. My sister lives nearby as does my brother and my brother's son (my nephew) earns some extra spending money while we're gone by walking the dogs (letting them out in the back yard) and checking on the cats and our parrot. My nephew will take the parrot out of his cage and perch the parrot on his shoulders and walk around with this bird on his shoulders while he tends to the cats and plays with the dogs. In the event he can't come watch our critters, my sister comes over before and after work and lets the dogs in and out, feeds the cats and checks on the bird. There are pet sitting services available though. I know we'd looked into one before my sister and brother moved back home. After that, they gladly look in on them for us. [ColdSunshine]
Dear coldsunshine, you may be a one to mylot but you are a ten to me. Have you ever had a sail cat to play with? [clemorswhomp]
In high school I remember going on an emergency trip back home and we left them for a few days. We just put huge bowls of water, food and an extra litter box. And then just had a friend come and check on them every couple days. [samijo719]
the last vacation we went on we left the one door cracked, it was locked but cracked so no one could get in but the cats and had two friends come over and check on them and let both cats alone for 6 nights. They where lonely but they where fine. [teapotmommommerced]
We have 2 cats and when we go away we either put them in a cattery or our neighbour comes in to feed them for us and let them in and out of the house. [tabyorky]
I clean houses for a living and a lot of my clients have pets, almost all of them. Most of them have dogs but some of them have cats. The ones with cats leave them home alone when they go on holidays but they take their dogs with them. Having a dog is like having a baby. You can;t go anywhere without it. Or if you go out for the evening, you need to be home in time to let it out. It is like having a baby at home. But a cat can be left alone. All you have to do is leave enough food and water out and a clean litter box. A cat can use the same liter box for weeks if need be. You can leave the toilet lid up or a sink full of water, and they will find it and drink it if their bowl of water runs out. I have owned cats most of my life and I have always left them at home when I go away. I have owned a couple dogs in my lifetime and I have never left them alone while on holidays. I have taken them with me, and for me it is no holiday then. You can't go anywhere, not even for supper, without taking it with you. One of our, my husband and I, holidays we went to BC and camped out so we took our dog with us. We had to go shopping to Canadian Tire for a new cooler, ours broke, we had an electic one. So we had to take the dog with us and leave him in the car while we went into the store. We were in Marriot, BC and it was 45C above and so we had to hurry to get back to the car. But before we could pay for our cooler we were paged, by our license plate, and told to leave the store. They wouldn't even let us pay for the cooler first. So I stayed in the store to pay for it, and my husband left the store to tend to our dog. We had tinted windows on our car and we left them all open a tad so the dog could get air, but it wasn't good enough and someone complained and we were pinned as bad dog owners. [chrislotz]
When I was younger and had fewer cats, I would leave them for weekends to go see friends. Now, this mob of cats can eat an entire bowl of food in less than a day and inhale bowls of water as well so I'd be reluctant to leave them even over night. Used to that we'd feed the dog on Friday before we left and then feed her again when we got back on Sunday and just made sure she had fresh water too. Then we'd put put lots of cat food and water and the cats would be all right. Not now, good thing we have a 3rd roommate who doesn't like the same things we do and can stay home when we decide to travel. Not that we travel much these days. [ElicBxn]
I have a kitten, and I love him to bits. If I ever did go to vacation, I would leave him to a friend of mine who I trust, who offered to take care of my kitten whenever needed. [pweety_princess]
I have gone on vacation before and left plent of food water and litter down for them. I went on vacation for a wk. They were fine. However, if it was a kitten i would have take them. Once a cat is abouut 6 mo. i think they are fine to be alone. I would always take a dog with me. The cats i have now are kind of spoiled because they feel like they have to have a can of wet food every morning. I would ask somebody to check in on them once or twice to give them their canned food. [jdyrj777]
No I never leave the cat alone at home while we go vacation. Either I keep him with us or we used to keep him to the neighbour. I used to leave hins plenty of food and and all other items to the neighbour they take care of the cat. If i leave alone at home he makes my house a mess. have a nice day. [nini89]
If we had to be out of the house for more than 24 hours, I bring my cat along or if that is not possible I make arrangements with my brother to stay in our house and be my cat's guardian. I could not imagine what my cat will feel if he'll be left alone. I love my cat very much and I will do everything to lessen any stress he will encounter. [sweettezil]
I do it many times. it's not like dog.,, this you cannot let it alone.. cat i think need less attention, care,, depend of the cats for sure.. But its depend how long i gone.. sure if its just one few days. i will put many food and water, and that will be ok. sometimes they eat less when u leave home. but if its for one week or more, maybe i will ask at a good friend or a member of family to go feed them each day during im in vacation. [julie85]
We don't have cat but we have a pet dog.Last Thanksgiving we took a one week vacation in the other state.We can't take her so we just left her in my hubby's cousins care which she had known and play sometimes.We know she was in good hands so we are confident that she was fine.We missed her so much and when came back she was really happy to see us and we could feel that she missed us too. [msedge]
I would never leave my cats behind. There are like kids to me. If it is not possible that you carry your cats, then you can always leave them at a foster home.There they will be happy and taken care of. [naziashajid]
I think for a couple of days it is fine as long as they are left food and water any longer than that and it is a big nono. [AbbeyB]